Kukla's Korner Hockey

With the playoffs around the corner, shootouts soon will be put on the shelf for a few months.
But don't expect a bunch of overtime games stretching into the fifth and sixth periods, as has been the norm in recent seasons.
The National Hockey League's on-ice officials have been given the message and they have embraced it. There will be no deterioration of the strict anti-restraint standards that were imposed during the regular season.
As a result, once the playoffs start, you'll see the same type of officiating you've been seeing for six months. That means you'll see as many power plays in overtime as you see in regulation time. And when that happens, the goals will come.

read on...Al touches on many subjects and note to Al- some American cities still sing the national anthem in the traditional way...